AV Squad is a creative advertising agency specializing in entertainment marketing for major film, broadcast, and games studios. Our projects encompass everything from trailers, TV spots, motion graphics, title design, behind the scenes featurettes, and beyond, and as Director of IT, I oversee our editorial facilities and ensure that the highest quality projects are delivered without a hitch. We work with all major studios on the latest releases, and to ensure that we always make the cut, leveraging dependable video I/O solutions is critical for our post workflow.

Our facilities have relied upon AJA gear since the inception of AV Squad in 2004, and the new T-TAP Pro video monitoring device is our latest addition. Having a tool like T-TAP Pro is essential, as we require high-quality video and audio monitoring in every edit bay. Whether used by post staff for outputting and monitoring pristine signals, or by producers and clients during review sessions, T-TAP Pro is a necessary solution in our production toolbox.

We are a Mac-based shop comprised of a hybrid infrastructure that allows team members to work on-site or remote into their desktops from home. Our facilities consist of a range of edit bays to handle traditional editorial and finishing workflows, and we use iMacs and Mac Pros and work primarily in Adobe Premiere Pro. Typically we work and deliver in 1080p, though on occasion, a client will require up to 4K. Because T-TAP Pro supports up to 4K/UltraHD video, we are equipped to handle any production demands and are able to output the highest quality, uncompressed video and audio feeds.
During a recent facility upgrade, we integrated nearly 40 T-TAP Pros into our post workflow to perform high-end video and audio monitoring. We chose the device for its compact size, versatile output capabilities, affordable price point, and broad compatibility with professional software and creative applications.
T-TAP Pro is efficient and powerful, yet extremely simple to use. Getting started took only a matter of minutes, as the device is plug-and-play and features a versatile Thunderbolt™ 3 port to hook up to our Macs via a single cable. Using AJA’s Control Panel and Control Room software makes the device easy to configure and operate, and the simplicity and size of T-TAP Pro also helped with the heat distribution for our edit bays.

The backbone of our facility is currently a 3G-SDI infrastructure, though we plan on eventually upgrading to 12G-SDI to support even higher bandwidth audio and video content with simplified cabling. T-TAP Pro not only supports our current 3G-SDI requirements, but it is also equipped to handle 12G-SDI with ease, as well as 12-bit RGB and HDR workflows, ensuring the device is future-proofed and will aid in our eventual transition.
We ultimately chose T-TAP Pro over the competitors because I prefer AJA gear for their equipment quality, reliability, and the level of support that we receive from their team. We have a strong relationship and working with AJA is like family; we always know that we’re being taken care of, no matter our needs.

Not only is T-TAP Pro more affordable than similar competitor devices, but it’s also the perfect output box for editorial workflows. It packs a punch in a compact and portable sized format!
About T-TAP Pro
T-TAP Pro is a compact, silent, and portable Thunderbolt™ 3-connected device that simplifies 4K/UltraHD and 2K/HD/SD monitoring and output over 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 on compatible Mac® or PC computers. Ideal for a range of production scenarios, T-TAP Pro provides high-quality video monitoring, including High Dynamic Range (HDR) support for high frame rate (HFR) and large raster workflows from a Thunderbolt™ 3 host system.www.aja.com/products/t-tap-pro
For more information on AV Squad, visit: https://www.avsquad.com/. To get started with T-TAP Pro or for additional resources, visit AJA’s website: www.aja.com.